IRRETRIEVABLE Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

irretrievable

adjective

ˌir-i-ˈtrē-və-bəl

Definition of irretrievable

as in hopeless

not capable of being cured or reformed an irretrievable drug addict who had wasted a once-promising life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in irreparable

not capable of being repaired, regained, or undone this is just an irretrievable mess, so let's start all over again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of irretrievable Days before, Sheriff Nanos had said images were irretrievable. — Richard Ruelas, AZCentral.com, 1 Mar. 2026 This dreamscape of the island, like that of the jungle, illuminates in children’s literature a sense of utopia and longing about childhood as a not-quite-place, situated in an irretrievable past-yet-future, while at the same time rooted in an anti-utopian logic of adulthood. — Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025 Alcaraz broke the Italian twice, winning the set with an incredible backhand flick from what looked like an irretrievable position and cupping his ear. — Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025 There is a genuinely irretrievable, ephemeral, low-res version of the movie. — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 17 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for irretrievable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for irretrievable

Adjective

Michael Johnston plays Bear, a music store employee who has a hopeless crush on his co-worker Nikki.

— Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Waymo’s fleet of autonomous taxis has garnered a reputation for causing mayhem on public streets, from trapping drivers in hours of hopeless gridlock to driving into oncoming traffic.

— Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 8 July 2026

Definition of hopeless

Adjective

Adult moths lay eggs on fabric, and the larvae voraciously feed on the material, causing irreparable damage to textiles.

— Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 July 2026
The lawsuit states that Kuka has singlehandedly caused irreparable harm to Boca View by refusing to abide by Florida law and the association’s own bylaws in order to further her self-serving agenda.

— Nicole R. Kurtz, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

Definition of irreparable

Adjective

As Catherine, the niece Eddie has raised as his own, falls in love with Rodolpho, Eddie’s protectiveness curdles into jealousy, setting him on a course toward an irreversible act of betrayal that fractures his family and his community.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 14 July 2026
In industrial environments, on the other hand, industrial data is often on-premises and failure modes can be physically irreversible.

— Amit Chaturvedy, Fortune, 8 July 2026

Definition of irreversible

Adjective

Countless documents were left lying out in the open and quickly became irrecoverable.

— Amer Matar, The Dial, 26 May 2026
At the same time, much of the world is facing water bankruptcy, meaning people and industries are using more fresh water than nature can replenish, leading to irrecoverable ecosystem damages.

— Abraham Nunbogu, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026

Definition of irrecoverable

Adjective

If the answer involves customer harm, regulatory exposure or unrecoverable decisions, AI as autonomy is being requested at the wrong scope.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
The business also has made Space Shuttle drag parachutes for the orbiter, and parachutes that deploy from the tails of F-22 and F-35 military jets to break them from unrecoverable stalls or spins.

— Pat Maio, Oc Register, 29 May 2026

Definition of unrecoverable

Adjective

Many of the country’s top psychiatric groups warn that there is no empirical standard for determining whether a mental-health condition is irremediable.

— Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Any RVs at the encampment found to have long-term rat infestations will be classified as irremediable biohazards and destroyed, according to the notice.

— Kate Talerico, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Jan. 2026

Definition of irremediable

Adjective

The rigidity and delusions of tyrannies are incorrigible; their purity spirals end in executions, not just cancellations; their adventures end in devastation and slaughter.

— Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Nilsson, an incorrigible Midwesterner, had a history of downplaying her depth.

— Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Definition of incorrigible

Browse Nearby Words

irresponsibleness

irretrievable

irreverence

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“Irretrievable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irretrievable. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of irretrievable

adjective

Example Sentences

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